Justice Department Sues Minnesota Over Transgender Athletes in Girls' Sports, Citing Title IX
The Trump administration's Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Monday against Minnesota and its school athletics governing body, alleging that the state Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League are violating Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funds.
The suit claims Minnesota's policies on transgender athletes in school sports violate federal law.
Administration's Stance and State's Defense
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the Trump Administration does not tolerate state policies that it views as ignoring biological reality and unfairly undermining girls in sports.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison characterized the lawsuit as an attempt to gain attention and stated his intention to continue fighting it. Ellison had previously filed a preemptive lawsuit in April, asserting that Minnesota’s human rights act takes precedence over executive orders issued by President Donald Trump and that the state complies with Title IX. A ruling on the federal government's motion to dismiss Ellison's case is pending.
Core Allegations by the Justice Department
The Justice Department's lawsuit claims Minnesota violates Title IX by requiring girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designated exclusively for girls, and by permitting boys into intimate spaces reserved for girls, such as multi-person locker rooms and bathrooms.
The lawsuit specifically cites the case of a transgender pitcher on the Champlin Park High School girls' varsity fastpitch softball team, which achieved a 6-0 victory in a 2025 state championship game.
National Debate on Transgender Youth Rights
This legal action is part of a broader national discussion regarding the rights of transgender youth. More than two dozen states have implemented laws prohibiting transgender women and girls from participating in specific sports, with some of these policies facing legal challenges.
The Trump administration also reversed the Biden administration’s interpretation of Title IX, which had previously held that its provisions against sex discrimination extended to gender identity.
Federal Funding and Lawsuit's Demands
According to the Justice Department, Minnesota’s Department of Education annually receives over $3 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. This funding is stated to be contingent on compliance with Title IX.
The lawsuit asks a federal court in Minnesota to declare the state in violation of Title IX and to mandate a prohibition on transgender girls competing in girls’ prep sports. Prior to the lawsuit, federal civil rights offices at the Education and Health and Human Services departments had informed the state and league in September of impending legal action if the alleged federal law violations were not ceased.